Las Meninas is my favorite painting of all time...well at least so far. This piece was a heavy influence on my falling in love with art. I know its my favorite painting because of the way I feel every single time I look at it. I will never forget the first time I saw this piece at the Prado Museum in Madrid, Spain. I remember the chills going down my spine and the time I spent just thinking about and dissecting the many possibilities in this painting. After a very long day at the Prado museum I really felt that I wanted to really concentrate on Spanish artist.
This painting is amazing and photos, replicas, or internet images do it absolutely no justice. This is a breathtaking large and lively piece of work measuring 125.2 in × 108.7 in, or in other words a massive 10 ft x 9ft. Velazquez painted this in 1656 and is still one of the most analyzed paintings of all time. I am able to study this painting for hours and wonder what Velazquez was actually meaning to demonstrate, or was it meant to be translated however we wanted?
This is a portrait of the "Maids of Honour" (which is the English translation of "Las Meninas"), Spanish royalty young Margaret Theresa and her court. It looks like this painting was done while in action as life happens right before our eyes. Is Velazquez the man that seems to be painting Margaret Theresa and her court? is this a scene within another scene? who is the couple all the way to the back which also seem to be in a frame, or is this a mirror reflection? What's with the eerie man in the background looking in? So many questions and so many possible answers that can be left to our own imagination. Many people believe that it is Velazquez painting the couple towards the back that show in the reflection and that the maids are just there playing out their day as usual, however others believe that Velazquez is actually painting the royal court. There is an account of exactly who every single person in this painting is supposed to be, an actual historical person. I love the realism, the sense of wonder and awe and I love the fact that there is no wrong answer to any of these questions.
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Nice post. This is a painting that should give you chills. That's one way to tell that you feel really moved by a work of art. This painting really is a masterwork in so many ways. I think you have pointed out quite a few. I would like to hear you commit to your own opinion though. There are plenty of theoretical discussions on the painting. what I want to hear is your theory. (meaning all of you!)
ReplyDeleteWow this painting is capturing. I think that Velazquez is painting looking at a mirror reflection which himself and a dwarf lady are looking. It is odd that a dwarf lady is shown because in that day they were not highly accepted. I agree how the man in the back looks very creepy and I feel the door should not be open when a princess is getting dressed. I love the dog and how the princess is looking at it.
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